Have art – will travel

By Deborah Howard and Li Ming in Xi'an

Installation The Craftsman Who Wants to Change The World by Supachai Satsara.

BEIJING, March 31 -- Three Xi'an artists will have their creations exhibited in Cambodia, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore over the next 18 months. Their work is part of the 1 x Suitcase exhibition currently touring Southeast Asia.

Traveling is the theme of the exhibition that was conceptualized by Agnes Lim and Ernest Chan and aims at emphasizing how artists and their pieces can be packed up and moved around the world at minimum cost and hassle free. The exhibition began last year in Singapore and has been to Thailand and Malaysia, now bringing works from the three countries to China. Each stop sees pieces added to the collection and in Xi'an, artists Song Yue, Qi Yi and Su Danyu are participating. Three Shanghai-based artists will have their work added to the tour when the exhibition stops there.

"We all take journeys, some are physical journeys to a place, some emotional or spiritual. On these journeys we take a suitcase to carry our belongings. This exhibition is based on the concept of traveling and all of the works exhibited by the artists must fit into a suitcase," Chan explained.

The exhibition is being held at the Xi'an Textile City Art District Exhibition Center. The old textile-manufacturing factory was chosen as it complemented Chan's vision.

Yaku's Journey by Morakot Ketklao.

"We are looking at binaries – things that are opposite. Some people travel to find themselves, others to escape themselves; some travel for pleasure, others for work; some find fantasy in their travels, others reality. These binaries create a space to explore our ideas in art. The amazing exhibition space here, so industrial in its history and character, is holding small, fine pieces of art. The opposites work together creatively," Chan said.